News

August 29, 2008

harkin announces more than $80,000 to reduce gun violence in iowa

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that the Iowa Governor’s Office of Drug Control Policy is receiving $82,849 from the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) for Project Safe Neighborhoods (PSN), a nationwide initiative to reduce gun crime through existing local programs. Harkin is a senior member of the Senate panel that funds law enforcement initiatives.

“I am pleased that Iowa will be receiving these important funds to help combat gun crimes,” Harkin said. “Removing illegal guns from our communities is a significant step towards reducing violent crimes.”

These funds will be used to support the following PSN initiatives around Iowa:

  • The Sixth Judicial District in Cedar Rapids will designate a probation/parole offices to identify and interview all gang members under their supervision and share this information with local law enforcement electronically and at monthly intelligence meetings;
  • Black Hawk County will continue to assign all fire arm cases to a single prosecutor, who will work with felony drug and probation prosecutors, the Waterloo Police Department and the Tri-County Drug Task Force on referrals to the County Attorney’s Office;
  • The Waterloo Police Department will provide overtime to officers for investigating and developing gun cases for prosecution;
  • The Woodbury County Sheriff’s Office and Sioux City Police Department will participate in multi-agency gang sweeps and provide overtime for officers to investigate firearms related crimes;
  • The Division of Criminal and Juvenile Justice Planning will continue to screen persons arrested on firearm related charges in Iowa for gang membership and possible federal prosecution.

Project Safe Neighborhoods seeks to increase arrests and convictions of those illegally possessing firearms, increase public awareness of prohibited persons and penalties for illegal possession of firearms, and reduce gun crime among adult and juvenile offenders. It also seeks to achieve heightened coordination among federal, state, and local law enforcement, with an emphasis on tactical intelligence gathering, more aggressive prosecutions and enhanced accountability through performance measures.